(AFP) Authorities today raided the offices of PAS owned Harakah newspaper in search of video compact discs (VCDs) containing recordings of political speeches, the editor said.

The move followed a ban over the weekend on the sale of VCDs and cassette tapes with political content, and a recent ban on political rallies.

Zulkifly Sulong, editor of the bi-weekly newspaper, said some 20 officials from the Home Affairs ministry and police conducted a 30-minute search at their Kuala Lumpur offices.

They did not produce search warrants and tried to detain a Harakah staff member over an advertisement in the newspaper of VCDs for sale, he said.

"Our lawyer stopped them from doing so. They have no right to detain our staff because they didn't find any political VCDs in our office," Zulkifly told AFP .

"We are worried that this could be another crackdown on the opposition."

Large seizure

Deputy Home Affairs minister Chor Chee Heung said at the weekend that the authorities recently seized hundreds of VCDs in Kuala Lumpur containing speeches recorded at opposition rallies.

The speeches spread lies against the government and were deemed a threat to the multiracial country, he said, warning of stern action against those producing and selling such video discs.